Structure and method for disk drive sizing using a disk drive controller coupled to a computer system

Abstract

A disk controller and associated method where conventional disk drive size files stored in the host computer are replaced with a drive size list maintained in the disk drive device controller. The disk size list structure permits the controller to do the disk drive sizing and provides a simplified list of disk drive size ranges that can be applied to all disk drives on the system regardless of disk drive make, model, or manufacturer. A disk drive size list can be generated from the existing disk drive configuration and maintained and updated with a minimum of user interaction.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for sizing disk drives connected to a disk drive controller, comprising: 
       writing a plurality of entries to a drive size list in a memory store, said list entries representing drive size ranges, said drive size list stored in memory associated with the disk controller and accessible only within said controller during operation;  
       said drive size list comprising a simple array of numerical drive size values;  
       each said numerical drive size value representing the allowed capacity for all the drives whose physical capacity is equal to or greater than that numerical drive size value and less than a next higher value in said drive size list;  
       a first entry in said drive size list is a beginning value appropriate for the smallest disk drive present and;  
       an ending entry in said drive size list includes a symbol interpreted to mean a value greater than the largest possible disk drive that can be configured.  
     
     
       2. The controller device in claim  1 , further comprising a plurality of disk drives coupled to said controller. 
     
     
       3. The method in claim  1 , wherein said drive size list may be modified by, (i) generation from new disk insertion, (ii) regeneration from a current disk configuration, (iii) generation by a controller local configuration facility, or (iv) generation with a direct command from an external configuration tool. 
     
     
       4. A hard disk drive controller device for use with a computer system and at least one disk drive comprising: 
       a host input/output block;  
       a disk input/output block;  
       random access memory;  
       a processor; and  
       storage means in which a disk drive size list data structure is defined for storing a disk drive size list having an array of numerical disk drive size values, each said numerical disk drive size value in the array representing the allowed capacity for disk drives whose physical storage capacity is greater than or equal to that numerical drive size value and less than a next higher value in said disk drive size list.  
     
     
       5. The controller device in claim  4 , wherein said storage means comprises non-volatile memory located on a printed circuit board that also carries said host input/output block, said disk input/output block, said random access memory, and said processor. 
     
     
       6. The hard disk drive controller device in claim  4 , wherein: 
       a first entry in said disk drive size list is a beginning value appropriate for the smallest disk drive present; and  
       an ending entry in said disk drive size list includes a symbol interpreted to mean a value greater than the largest possible disk drive that can be configured.  
     
     
       7. The hard disk drive controller device in claim  4 , wherein said storage means comprises non-volatile memory located on a single printed circuit board that also carries said host input/output block, said disk input/output block, said random access memory, and said processor, and wherein: 
       a first entry in said disk drive size list is associated with the smallest disk drive present; and  
       a second entry in said disk drive size list includes a symbol interpreted to mean a value greater than the largest disk drive that can be configured.  
     
     
       8. The hard disk drive controller device in claim  4 , wherein said storage means comprises a solid-state memory. 
     
     
       9. The hard disk drive controller device in claim  4 , wherein said storage means comprises non-volatile memory. 
     
     
       10. A hard disk drive controller device for use with a computer system and at least one disk drive, said controller device comprising: 
       a host input/output unit;  
       a disk drive input/output unit;  
       a random access memory;  
       a processor; and  
       storage means defining a disk drive size list data structure for storing a disk drive size list having an array of numerical disk drive size values, each numerical disk drive size value representing the allowed capacity for all the disk drives whose physical capacity is equal to or greater than that numerical value and less than a next higher value in said drive size list.  
     
     
       11. A data storage system comprising: 
       at least a first disk drive controller coupled for communication to a host computer via a host-controller communication bus, said each disk drive controller being interfaced to an external input/output device;  
       a plurality of disk drives, each said disk drive coupled to said each controller via controller-controller-disk drive connections; and  
       non-volatile memory means associated with said each controller for storing a drive size list;  
       said drive size list comprising a simple array of numerical drive size values, each numerical drive size value representing the allowed capacity for all the drives whose storage capacity is equal to or greater than that numerical value and less than a next higher numerical drive size value in said drive size list.  
     
     
       12. The data storage system in claim  11 , wherein a first entry in said drive size list data structure is a beginning value appropriate for the smallest disk drive present in the data storage system, and an ending entry in said drive size list is a symbol interpreted to mean a value greater than the largest possible disk drive that can be configured on said data storage system. 
     
     
       13. The data storage system in claim  12 , wherein said disk size file is defined in non-volatile memory and is accessible only by software/firmware executing on a processor co-located with said controller. 
     
     
       14. The data storage system in claim  11 , wherein said at least one controller comprises a first disk drive controller and a second disk drive controller, said first and second disk drive controllers coupled for communication to a host computer via a host-controller communication bus. 
     
     
       15. A data structure defined in memory of a disk controller comprising: 
       a disk size list, said drive size list comprising a simple array of numerical drive size values;  
       each said numerical drive size value representing the allowed capacity for all the drives whose physical capacity is equal to or greater than that numerical value and less than the next higher value in said drive size list;  
       a first entry in said drive size list data structure is a beginning value appropriate for the smallest disk drive present; and  
       an ending entry in said drive size list is a symbol interpreted to mean a value greater than the largest possible disk drive that can be configured.  
     
     
       16. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor and at least one disk drive storage device, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism, comprising: 
       a program module that directs a disk drive controller and at least one of said disk drive storage devices to function in a specified manner to size disk drives coupled to the controller, the program module including instructions for:  
       writing a plurality of entries to a drive size list in a memory store;  
       said drive size list entries representing drive storage size ranges;  
       said drive size list stored in memory associated with said disk controller and accessible only within said controller during operation;  
       said drive size list comprising a plurality of numerical drive size values, each said numerical drive size value representing an allowed capacity for drives whose physical storage capacity is equal to or greater than that numerical drive size value and less than a next higher value in said drive size list;  
       a first entry in said drive size list being a beginning size value appropriate for the smallest disk drive present; and  
       an ending entry in said drive size list includes a symbol interpreted to mean a value greater than the largest possible disk drive size that can be configured.  
     
     
       17. The computer program product in claim  16 , wherein said program module further includes at least one instruction for modifying said drive size list in said memory store. 
     
     
       18. The computer program product in claim  17 , wherein said at least one instruction for modifying said drive size list comprises an instruction generating said drive size list in response to a new disk drive insertion to said computer system. 
     
     
       19. The computer program product in claim  17 , wherein said at least one instruction for modifying said drive size list comprises an instruction generating said drive size list in response to regenerating from a current disk configuration. 
     
     
       20. The computer program product in claim  17 , wherein said at least one instruction for modifying said drive size list comprises an instruction generating said drive size list in response to a local configuration utility program. 
     
     
       21. The computer program product in claim  17 , wherein said at least one instruction for modifying said drive size list is selected from the group of instructions consisting of: (i) an instruction generating from new disk insertion, (ii) an instruction regenerating from a current disk configuration, (iii) an instruction generating by a controller local configuration facility, (iv) an instruction generating with a direct command from an external configuration tool. 
     
     
       22. A disk drive storage subsystem controller for controlling input/output with a host computer and a disk drive based storage subsystem, said controller being of the type having a processor and memory coupled to the processor, an interface for communicating with a host computer, and an interface for communicating with said disk drive based storage subsystem, said controller characterized in that: 
       said controller includes a disk drive size list data structure defined in a memory and storing a disk drive size list having an array of numerical disk drive size values, each said numerical disk drive size value in the array representing the allowed capacity for disk drives whose information storage capacity is greater than or equal to that numerical drive size value and less than a next higher value in said disk drive size list.  
     
     
       23. In a disk drive storage subsystem controller for controlling input/output with a host computer and a disk drive based storage subsystem, said controller being of the type having a processor and memory coupled to the processor, an interface for communicating with a host computer, and an interface for communicating with said disk drive based storage subsystem, a method for sizing a disk drive, said method characterized in that said method includes steps of: 
       defining a disk drive size list data structure in a memory;  
       storing a disk drive size list having an array of numerical disk drive size values wherein each said numerical disk drive size value in the array representing the allowed capacity for disk drives whose information storage capacity is greater than or equal to that numerical drive size value and less than a next higher value in said disk drive size list; and  
       selecting a disk drive size based on said disk drive size list and a disk drive information storage capacity of a disk drive to be configured in the storage subsystem.  
     
     
       24. The method in claim  23 , further characterized in that said storing a disk drive size list includes storing a first entry as beginning value appropriate for the smallest disk drive present; and storing an ending entry as a value greater than the largest possible disk drive that can be configured.